Clock

DEFINITION:

A system or device used to measure, display, divide, and communicate the passage of time through standardized units and intervals.

FUNCTION:

Provides a shared framework for coordinating activities, establishing schedules, measuring duration, synchronizing behavior, and organizing daily life.

EXAMPLES:

  • Analog clocks
  • Digital clocks
  • Atomic clocks
  • Wall clocks
  • Watches
  • Timekeeping systems
  • Public clocks

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RELATED SYSTEMS:

NOTES:

Clocks divide continuous time into measurable units such as seconds, minutes, and hours. Standardized timekeeping allows individuals, institutions, and societies to coordinate actions across shared temporal frameworks.

CONTROL TEXT OBSERVATION:

Time becomes socially manageable when it is measured and standardized. Clocks transform the continuous flow of experience into discrete units that can be scheduled, compared, recorded, and synchronized across individuals and groups.